Further Updates on My Life

This first part was written on 16th of Feb 2007, and the 2nd on the 13th August 2008

1997

For some reason I was thinking what I was doing a decade ago:

I was at college studying English Language, P.E. and Law.

I had a part-time job at Homebase

I was listening to Radiohead OK Computer, Blur by Blur, the Fat of the Land by the Prodigy.

I learnt to drive and had a brown Mini, with a tape player that I used to make tapes for

I rode my mountain bike, that summer I was doing 200 miles a week

I used to play roller hockey with my mates Lee and Nick

I first went to the pub

I got mugged

I  lived with my parents

2007

A decade has gone by now and what the hell has changed in my life.  I finished College with 2E’s and an N.  I lost all faith in the English legal system as a result.  I went to university and started studying forestry, which I then changed to get a 2:2 in Geography.

I work for a charity called the Tropical Forest Trust, having left Homebase after 8 years.

I have actually just listened to tracks off of all of those albums on my mp3 player

I still have no claims and now drive a Ford Fiesta, I long for the day that I can afford to buy a mini as a 2nd car

My mountain bike hasn’t been out of the shed for 3 years

I had to get rid of my blades, and Lee and Nick are both married.  Lee lives in Chichester and Nick lives in Aberdeen.

I still enjoy going to the pub

Haven’t been mugged since

Due to a series of unfortunate incidents I am back living with my parents

So have I developed as a person in 10 years, I really hope so.  Who knows!  Am I better off?  Yes, but i’m buying a flat, so that’s going out of the window.  I’m certainly more world wise, I know that.

So why am I thinking all of this?  I have no idea, it just seemed like a good idea at the time.  That and the fact that im sat at home on a friday night alone is also a kickback to 10 years ago.,

13th August 2008

After problems at work, and my role changing I have left the TFT, and am currently temping in a metal factory.  I have an interview today for a job that I don’t really want and am not that confident of getting anyway.

I havn’t bought any music since May, which is really sad, and it’s probably been that long since I went to a gig too.

I still have no claims and now drive a Ford Fiesta, I long for the day that I can afford to buy a mini as a 2nd car.  My car is however gradually falling apart.

My mountain bike is on the landing, and I ride it regularly.  I am in the early stages of training to ride from Lands End to John O’Groats (or the other way around).

I had to get rid of my blades, and Lee and Nick are both married.  Lee lives in Chichester and has a Kid called Evelyn Louise, and Nick lives in Aberdeen.

I still enjoy going to the pub but haven’t been for a while.

I own my own flat with the housemate, although depending on finances in a few months I may have to move back in with the parents and rent out my room.

So there you go, just a quick update, not sure what will happen in another 18 months time.  I will keep you informed.

26th May 2010

I am now 30.  Woo hoo, where did that time go.  The last 18 months has flown by.  The biggest thing in my life is that I am engaged to H.  This came as a bit of a surprise to me, but I really couldn’t be happier about it.

I have been working at the University of Portsmouth doing Admin work, I don’t particularly enjoy it, but in the current economic climate a job is better than no job.  I also really like the people, which helps more than you can imagine.

I am still buying Music, most recently that fantastic High Violet by the National. 

Still no claims on the car.  It is however still falling apart.

H and I go out on our bikes whenever the sun is out, and we are enjoying getting fitter together.

For a year I had a decent quiz team that would go to the pub every Tuesday, however that has tailed off now that one has moved to London, the Boy Lord has moved to Korea, and Ahab is going back to sea.

I didn’t have to move back home, but a move is on the cards as H and I look to move in together before the wedding.  We have set a year, so 2012 it is. 

I have taken up photography as a hobby instead of more energetic pursuits.

All in all I can conclude that my life is pretty darn good now.  Much better than it has been in previous years.

Bank Holiday Weekend With The Mysterious H.

It was a bank holiday this weekend which was great, and I got to spend it with the Mysterious H, who you may or may not find out more about. At the moment The Mysterious H is at the moment an abstract concept in your minds and will remain so for the forseeable future.

Anyway on Friday night I broke my duck of going to the cinema this year, and after a swift change of plan went to see The Boat That Rocked, the new Richard Curtis Film about 1970s Pirate Radio, and I have to say, it is brilliant, by far the best film I have seen in a while, mind you that may have something to do with the amazing soundtrack, or it could have something to do with the brilliance of Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Either way, this was a very funny film, and I enjoyed it enormously.

On Saturday myself ant the Mysterious H took a walk around one of the nicer parts of Southampton (There you go, another piece of information, H has legs), the Royal Victoria Country Park and had an ice cream in the sun while argueing about The Shawshank Redemption (my point of view overrated, everyone elses apparantly one of the best films ever made). Then to Sunday where I took H on a mystery tour of the Dorset coastline, taking in the picturesqe Lulworth cove and the staggering sight of Durdle Door, which is still one of my favourite places. All of this is now part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage site, and as it was a bank holiday, completely rammed with people, didn’t stop us enjoying a lovely picnic on the beach in the (kind of) sun. Stopping for a well earned pint of Guiness on the way home we headed back a lot more tired than when we started.

Monday bought about an easy day just mooching about and heading to the most exciting thing to hit Southampton in a long time, Ikea. Just wandering around the shop is quite nice, especially when you can get Daim bar cake, which is amazing stuff. After this we settled down to watch and get annoyed at MTV2’s greatest albums since MTV began. I know that music is an incredibly subjective topic, but is What Ever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not by the Arctic Monkeys really better than White Lines by Massive Attack, Metallica by Metallica or the Bends. Especially in the last case, it really isn’t. Unsurprisingly this particular best of was topped by Nirvana, but what do you expect really, this is MTV (the judging panel included one of the Wombats for f**Ks sake). OK Computer was 2nd which was alright, although myself and judge Sean Keavney (6 Music) both don’t think that this is Radioheads best album.

So after my long weekend I had to say goodbye, and I know that the Mysterious H will turn up again soon.

Hidden Gems #3

I could have written this about most songs on The Bends, its by far and away my favourite album, but as I have been listening to A Letter from God To Man off of the Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip album that uses this sample, I am going to write about Planet Telex.

While songs like Street Spirit, Fake Plastic Trees and High and Dry get all of the radio air play, and deserved plaudits for being brilliant, the album opener never seems to get a look in.

From the opening bars of the keyboards to hook you in to the album as a whole, and the start of Thom Yorkes falsetto odyssey, the cry of “Everything is Broken, Everyone is Broken” gets me. I’m not sure what this song is about, probably lost love and broken hearts, if its not, then it damn well should be.

One Night in London

Oh sweet jesus, what a night.  Me, my favourite band and 40000 other people in Victoria Park London.  To say that Radiohead are my favourite band is a bit of an understatement.  I have loved them since I first heard Creep in 1993.  Then The Bends in 1995 won its place in my heart as my favourite album with my favourite song Fake Plastic Trees.  This album was probably on heavy roatation on my stereo until about 2000.

I have never had the opportunity to see them live before (apart from the old VHS of Radiohead at the Astoria that I bought, and the Glastonbury coverage of 1997) so imagine my glee when Smyles said he had got me a ticket.  Yesterday on the way up excited wasn’t the word.  I knew that I would have to leave early so that I could get the last train home so that I could go to my interview this morning (It went ok by the way) but I was determined to make the most of it.

I decided that I was going to go to the Tate Modern first as I like it there and so I had a mooch around looking at the Roy Lichtenstein pop art and the Mondrian squares. After an hour of looking at the art (students) I took a walk up to the Barbican and met Smyles and Blob before we headed off to the gig.  We were going to get a pint first but there are no pubs on the way in, so we made do with the sangria stall at the Park.

Once we were in there, the stage was monstrous, proper festival size, but what struck me was the sound quality, no matter where we stood the sound quality was perfect, unlike the echoy bowl that is Wembely Stadium.

Bat for Lashes supported and did admirably despite the technical difficulties of all sound stopping and I enjoyed them too.  But then the main event started and it just blew me away.  For a proper review see Metro or the Times  I will just say that I wasn’t dissappointed, I thought that it was amazing.  Airbag is probably one of the best live tracks that I have ever heard and even though I left a song early this was probably the best gig that I have ever been to.  All of that even with the fact that they didn’t play thier big hits as most people are moaning about in the press, and the tunes that they did play were too melancolic for the setting.  So what,with playing as good as this it doesnt matter, I just wish that there were less people talking and barging through.

Steve, massive thanks for the ticket, I owe you more than one.